29 November, 2012

“The secret to feeling attractive, and to being attractive, is the confidence that comes from knowing who you are and what you believe in.”

2. Accept the passage of time.

“The older you get, the more you should learn to love life and appreciate the beauty that comes with age.”

3. Document your life.

“Keep a diary, write a blog, take photos - they all hep to create an inspiring visual diary of your life.”

4. Dress for your shape and your age

“Don't be a slave to fashion and trends - choose clothes that suit your body type and are age appropriate. Buy less but buy better quality. Buy clothes that make you feel good.

5. Dress for your personality.

“Always choose styles that also accentuate your personality.

Don’t use fashion to try and project a different persona. Authenticity is key.”

6. Look after your friends.

“A GOOD FRIEND is a connection to life -
a tie to the past, a road to the future, the key to sanity in a totally insane world.”Friends make you laugh, lighten your burden, keep you realand provide a shoulder to cry on.

7. Use your feminine power.

“My mother taught me that being a woman is a privilege because the world revolves around us! It is a precious gift, and its power should be used in a subtle and respectful way.”

8. Travel.

“Anyone who has ever gone anywhere will tell you that traveling is one of the most exciting and life-changing activities that you can do. Observing a different culture will expand your mind and educate you while making you appreciate the life you already live.

27 November, 2012

One of my favourite aspects of being an interior designer is the decorating and putting the finishing touches on a job. Most of my work is alongside an architect selecting the colours, finishes and fittings for a project so it's lots of fun when you start shopping and decorating. That's when the magic happens!

Hermon and Hermon

Retail Heaven

So here are a few of my favourite haunts when shopping for a beach house. My work takes me from one side of the bay to the other so whether you are a decorating a place in Portsea, Lorne or Flinders these shops are my top picks.

Hermon and Hermon

For a one stop shop in Melbourne - it's Hermon and Hermon in Richmond. It is literally an Aladdin's cave of amazing furniture, lighting and accessories. It has an eclectic, global feel with product sourced from all of the world that you won't find anywhere else. It's a beautifully presented store with stock changing on a constant basis so the product mix is always fresh and exciting. They custom make the big ticket items like sofas, dining tables and beds so you can get the perfect size and perfect look for every house!

Jardan

Jardan

Jardan

Jardan is my absolute fave for sofas and cool leather chairs - they are made in Melbourne and available through Hermon and Hermon as well as number of other retailers. Check on their website for stockists. Their designs are spot on - big, fabulous, stylish, modern and comfortable. There is a design and style to suit every family!

Down the coast

The best shops for coastal style is on the Mornington Pennisula - there are a number of retail outlets specialising in beachside living and they are literally treasure troves of fabulous accessories, homewares, furniture and seaside treasures to fill your beach house. I am literally beside myself with excitement when let loose in these shops!

Here is a brief outline of what they each have to offer: -

Big Chair Living as a huge shop in Mornington which has 3 levels of furniture and homewares - literally everything you need to deck out a beach house. They have a second, smaller shop in Sorrento it has less on range but I think it has a more stylish product mix so it's worth checking out both stores. I have found some really interesting antique and one off pieces like an antique brass ship's lantern which now sits proudly on a client's hall stand!

Big Chair Living

Big Chair Living

Coastal Living occupies a huge warehouse-sized space in Rosebud. It has everything you could dream of for the perfect beach house including artwork, furniture, lighting, books, homewares and outdoor furniture. It is upmarket, stylish and beautifully presented. It has a slightly more traditional feel to the furniture but has a lot of rustic, weathered pieces that always catch my eye. They also have a small but delightful shop in Sorrento that specialises in homewares and decorator items. This is where I stock up on shells, beautiful books, lovely soaps, coral and whatever else takes my fancy ... which is most of the shop!

Saltwater Trading in Sorrento, is great for decorator accessories - starfish, shells, maritime objects as well as more global and ethnic artefacts. These pieces are great for adding a unique and personal feel to a house.

25 November, 2012

One of the hottest chairs around at the moment is Xavier Pauchard Tolix chair. It works fantastically well with a whole bunch of interior styles including - modern, vintage, rustic and industrial. It has enjoyed popularity since 1934 and is still going strong. I love it in the bright powdercoated colours perfect for summer living especially when the colours are mix and matched. Add some extra pop and team the Tolix chairs with other bright accessories. Country Road has got a great range of bright summer homewares to add some colour and fun around the house.